Means for controlling expression in automatic pianos.



H. S. HORNBEGK.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING EXPRESSION IN AUTOMATIC PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1906.

898,477. Patented Sept. 15, 1908.

71-: NuRRIs PETERS ca, WASHINGYON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

HENRY S. HORNBEOK, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO CHARLES C. MCBRIDE, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING EXPRESSION IN AUTOMATIC PIANOS.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY S. HORNBEOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Controlling Expression in Automatic Pianos, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to automatic pianos, and consists in an attachment which can be applied to automatic pianos of the existing form, or embodied in a special piano, and by which perfect expression can be attained in rendering a musical composition.

The ordinary automatic piano has a perforated strip which is propelled across suit able air pressure ports so as to operate the keys. In order to obtain expression in the music it is customary to have regulating means of various sorts for varying the time or tempo and the intensity and character of the notes. The latter regulation is accomplished by damper heads, which are raised away from the piano strings in order to sustain the notes, and also by devices which vary the sharpness with which the keys are depressed. In some cases the hammer rest rail is made movable toward and from the strings so as to vary the distance of throw of the hammers, and thereby the strength of the blow.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the features of construction and combination hereinafter setforth and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the general features of a device embodying the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is a detail view showing one of the hammers; Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing two detached parts of the device, which are incorporated together to form an indicator. Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are transverse sections of the hammer supporting device, being taken at the planes IV, X, Y, Z, of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the rail looking directly at the flat face thereof; and Fig. 9 is a plan view looking at the diametrically opposite side of the rail from that of Fig. 8.

Musical compositions adapted to be rendered on the piano have two distinct parts corresponding to the melody or air, and the accompaniment or bass. It is customary for every note of the air to be accompanied by a harmonic tone of the base or accompani- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 6, 1906.

Patented Sept. 15, 1908.

Serial No. 342,183.

ment, and it occurs exactly simultaneously therewith. Accordingly the ordinary modulating devices of an automatic piano as above described are not adapted to adjust the tone relation between the accompaniment and the air. Such modulation is, however, a prime requisite. It is sometimes important to have the melody or air strong and the accompaniment or bass soft or modulated. At other times it is necessary to have both the melody and the accompaniment heavy. Again it may be necessary to have both the air and the accompaniment soft. These are all the ordinary requirements, since the bass or accompaniment is normally fairly heavy, and it is never desirable to soften or modulate the melody or air while keeping the accompaniment strong. In carrying out my invention I provide means for following the musical composition and rendering the air or melody heavy or soft and the accompaniment heavy or soft as desired for every tone rendered, and this regardless of where the particular notes fall on the piano keyboard.

Referring to the drawings in which like parts are designated by the same reference sign, A indicate the usual hammers of an au tomatic piano. These hammers are of the ordinary form, and in their normal position are intended to be supported by a hammer rest rail, as will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art. A portion of such a hammer rest rail is shown at B in Fig. 1. In stead of having the hammer rest rail extend entirely across the instrument to support all the hammers, I employ a special device for supporting the hammers of all the notes most commonly employed. All of the hammers could be specially supported in this way, but I prefer to have the hammers of the high notes rest against an ordinary hammer rest rail B, as above referred to. The reason is that the very high notes are not used in automatic pianos, and if they were there would be but little occasion to modulate them for the purposes of this invention.

It is sufficient to have the device substituted for the hammer rest rail only through a portion of the notes of the entire keyboard.

In its preferred form the hammer supporting devices comprises one or more cylinders 1, 2, attached to a spindle 3, which is revoluble in any suitable bearings (not shown), and which constitutes an axis on which the cylinders are rotated through varying amounts.

' softened note position.

The essential characteristic of the cylinder or cylinders used is that different portions thereof are different radial distances from the axis. This is accomplished in the cylinder 1 by forming it with a flat or cut-away face 4, extending throughout its length, and parallel with the axis thereof. The cylinder 2 also has a partly flat face 5 exactly similar to and in the plane of the face 4 of cylinder 1. The flat face of cylinder 2 continues in the same plane, however, for only a short distance along the cylinder, and thereafter it merges into a surface which is of generally spiral form and which may be so termed in the present specification and claims. The essential characteristic of this surface is that any transverse plane intersects the spiral surface on a line which is tangent to a cylinder of constant diameter. The form of cylinder or body 2 for this purpose will be most clear from a consideration of Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7. It will be observed that each transverse section intersects two separate cylindrical surfaces 2 and 6, the surface 2 being the exterior surface of the cylinder or body. The surface 6 has an increasing circumferential or angular extent at each succeeding section. The surface which I have above referred to as of generally spiral outline and which constitutes a continuation of the flat face 5 is denominated 5 in each of Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7. In every case, the intersection of each transverse plane cuts the spiral surface 5 on a line which is tangent to the cylindrical surface 6 of unvarying radius. In other words, the essential characteristic of the cylinder or body 2 are two separate cylindrical surfaces 2 and 6, and a surface 5 of generally spiral outline which merges into or is tangent to the cylindrical surface 6 at all points.

By virtue of this construction it will be evident that when the cylinders 1 and 2 are in their normal position with their flat faces 4 and 5 supporting the hammer stems, that all of the hammers A will be at their farthest back position corresponding to a loud or normal note. When the cylinders are turned through part of a revolution in the direction of the arrow, a certain number of hammers will be moved forwardly so as to reduce their throw and modulate the tone of the cones onding notes. In the drawing only a very imited number of the hammers are illustrated, so that only three are shown moved into the forward relation. If the cylinders 1 and 2 are turned through a slightly greater angle of revolution, the spiral surface 5 will cause additional hammers to be successively cammed inward one after another, so that when the cylinders are turned through nearly a complete revolution all of the hammers which rest against the device will be cammed forward into the It will be evident that any selected number of the hammers may be put in the forward and in the rearward positions as desired, depending on the amount that the cylinders 1 and 2 are angularly turned.

I provide means under the control of the operator for angularly moving the cylinders 1 and 2 as desired. For this purpose I have shown a drum 7, attached to the spindle 3, having a strap 8, guided around a roller 9. 10 indicates a bell crank lever having a link connection 11, with an arm 12, which is pivoted on a vertical axis, and projects in front of the instrument, so as to be engaged by the knee of the operator. This arrangement is, of course, merely one practical means of turning the cylinders 1 and 2, and is used because considerable force is required, and this is best had by the knee rather than the fingers of the operator. 13 designates a spiral spring which is connected to the spindle 3 so as to normally rotate the same in opposition to the arm 12, and by which the cylinders are impelled into their normal relation shown in Fig. 2.

In combination with the above I also employ indicating means to show the position of the modulating devices. 14 indicates a tube, having a narrow slot 15, extending longitudinally thereof. 16 denotes a rod revoluble within the tube and blackened on one side of a spiral line around the rod, as clearly shown at 17, in Fig. 3. 18 and 19 denote sprocket wheels respectively attached to the rod 16 and to the spindle 3, and 20 denotes a chain connecting these sprocket wheels, so 100 that the rod 16 is rotated synchronously with the cylinders '1 and 2. The blackened space 17 shows through the slot 15 to a greater or less extent according to the rotation of the cylinders 1 and 2, and the parts are so formed 105 that the aforesaid blackened area in the slot 15 will fall in vertical alinement with the perforations of the perforated strip, for which there is produced a dividing line between the strong and the soft tones. In this way the 110 operator has constantly before him an indicator of the tone efiects, and it is easy for him by this indicator to make the modulations appropriate to the melody and to the accompaniment, keeping the dividing line 115 properly between the two. At the same time the usual stops and regulators of the automatic piano are available for his manipulation to soften or sustain all of the tones or to change a tempo in the usual way.

l/Vhile I have shown and described my appliance as used without any additional hammer rest rail of the usual form, it is evident that an additional hammer rest rail may be employed if desired, or the present device 125 may be utilized with an automatic piano having the usual hammer rail and without disturbing the latter. In other Words, the device of the present invention may be employed as a support for the hammers either 130 in place of or in addition to a hammer rest rail of the standard form.

What I claim, is p 1. In an automatic piano, a plurality of hammers, a body adapted to support the hammers, said body having a flat face merging into a spiral surface extending around the body, substantially as described.

2. In an automatic piano, a body adapted to support the hammers, said body having a flat face merging into a spiral surface, and means for turning said body through different angular distances whereby the hammers are positioned in different retracted relations.

3. In an automatic piano, a plurality of hammers, a body rotatable on an axis behind the hammers and constituting a hammer rest therefor said body having part of its surface cylindrical, and part of its surface of generally spiral form, the body also having a flat face forming the termination of the spiral portion.

4. In an automatic piano, a plurality of hammers, a body rotatable on an axis behind said hammers and constituting a hammer rest therefor, said body having part of its surface cylindrical and part of its surface of generally spiral form, the body also having a flat face forming the termination of the spiral portion, and means for rotating said body through any predetermined angle.

5. In an automatic piano, a plurality of hammers, a body rotatable on an axis behind said hammers and constituting a hammer rest therefor, said body having part of its surface cylindrical and part of its surface of generally spiral form, the body also having a flat face forming the termination of the spiral portion, means for maintaining said body impelled rotatably to a position with said flat face contacting with the initial hammers of the series, and means for rotating the body through any predetermined angle from such position whereby a greater or less number of hammers are thrown forwardly.

6. In an automatic piano, a plurality of hammers, a rotatable body adapted to constitute a hammer rest therefor, said body being formed with two separate cylindrical surfaces 2 and 6 separated by a generally spiral surface, each of said surfaces being coaxial with the axis of rotation of the body, and means for rotating said body whereby different selected portions of the hammers rest against one cylindrical portion of the body and the remainder of the hammers rest against the other cylindrical portion.

7. In an automatic piano, a plurality of hammers, a rotatable body adapted to constitute a hammer rest therefor, said body having a plurality of separate cylindrical surfaces 2 and 6 thereon having rectilinear elements in directions parallel to each other and to the plane in which the hammers are located, each of said surfaces being co-axial with the axis of rotation of the body, and means for displacing said body to present one surface to support part of the hammers, and the other surface to support the remaining hammers.

8. In an automatic piano, a plurality of hammers, a rotatable body adapted to constitute a hammer rest therefor, said body having a plurality of separate cylindrical surfaces thereon having rectilinear elements in directions parallel to each other and to the plane in which the hammers are located, each of said surfaces being co-axial with the axis of rotation of the body, and means for displacing said body to present one surface to support part of the hammers, and the other surface to support the remaining hammers, said surfaces being separated by a curved line on the body whereby the number of hammers resting against each surface is varied unit by unit.

9. In an automatic piano, a plurality of hammers, a rotatable body having two surfaces both having rectilinear elements in parallel directions parallel to the plane' of the axes of the hammers, each of said surfaces being co-axial with the axis of rotation of the body, and means for rotating said body on an axis parallel to the axes of the hammers, whereby varying numbers of the hammers are supported in forward and retracted relations.

10. In an automatic piano, a slotted tube, a spirally blackened rod within the tube, a body having a spiral surface, means for turning the rod synchronously with the rotation of said body, and hammers adapted to rest against said body. 7

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY S. HORNBECK.

WVitnesses:

WM. M. S'rooxBmDeE, OI-IAs. C. MCBRIDE. 

